The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
As mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and so on become increasingly prevalent, these devices also become further integrated into daily life. Accordingly, use of mobile devices in vehicles while driving is also becoming more prevalent. Consequently, both drivers and passengers are increasingly distracted from the operation of the vehicle and events around the vehicle. In other words, the presence of mobile devices within the vehicle increases a tendency of the occupants to be distracted from gauges and other indicators that provide vehicle operating parameters such as speed, fuel levels, mileage, maintenance notices and so forth in addition to traffic and other extraneous events.
Moreover, with the advent of autonomous vehicles, the distraction of vehicle occupants is even greater since attention to the vehicle is less critical when operating in an autonomous mode. For example, the driver may rotate his seat to face other passengers in a back seat area while using a mobile device or may direct attention to a mobile device that is showing entertainment content instead of watching an instrument panel of the vehicle. Thus, traditional forms of conveying notices and other vehicle operating parameters to the driver and the passengers may not be effective when mobile devices are in use. Consequently, difficulties arise with ensuring passengers including the driver are appropriately notified of various events.